April 25, 2014 - Hite Cove

H

Title: April 25, 2014 - Hite Cove

Trail head: South Fork, along Highway 140 at Savage Trading Post

Hike Info:

Type:  Hiking

Trail: Hite Cove

Destination: Hite Cove

Distance: 7.09 miles

Start Time:  9:53

End Time:   2:49

Travel Time: 4:55 (1.44 mph)

Moving Time: 4:03(1.75 mph)

Elevation Rise: 1,492'

Maximum Elevation: 1,705'

Description:

The usual start of a meetup hike: meet at Kohl's at 7 and then take off. We have a brief stop in Mariposa's Burger King for personal relief and continue up Highway 140, past Midpines untill we reach the Savage Trading Center, where we park across the road.

Mists and Clouds of the Day

We get on the trail a little before ten. Our trail starts to the side of the Center and gets going on a good climb up a paved driveway for a short distance, where we veer off to the right onto a dirt trail. This change in path does not stop the climb, but only the where we place our feet. After a quarter of a mile, we top this ridge and have the South Fork of the Merced River on our right. Across the River is a small group of large houses. They certainly would be nice to stay in.

Walking beside the South Fork of the Merced

But our eyes quickly turn to the task at hand, which is to walk this path. The obstacles before us includes many rocks to navigator over and around. The trail goes across a steep slope, ending in the Merced. But the trail is do-able, even in the rain.

Did I meant that it is raining? I have both my rain jacket and pants on. Most of the time, I have my hood off and letting a few drops wet what remains of my hair. But there are times we get a proper dowsing. But the one thing is with glasses, everything is either rain spotted or misted over-and not the far away mountains either. Even with the limited sight, I can tell the colors are more vibrant because of the rain, everything is somewhat of a blur. About this time, I think LASIK surgery might be a good thing.

Lupine and Poppies

I do see well enough to find some rather pretty flowers-lupine and poppies growing on the hillside; yellow, whites and purples all popping up around the trail. From my understanding this is not even a good year for wildflowers in these parts. So I wonder what this hike will be like next year.

After a couple of miles, we drop down to River level. Something special when you hear water rushing beside you, instead of 150' below. As we round a point, a rock platform gives an eye level view of the river, allowing a view up the river.  Our path continues on this course with a few rises and falls until we get to a small clearing where old mining equipment was left. Buckets, gears, and all kinds of heavy ironworks. One looks and wonders how in the world this got brought in? There is a old road over from Incline. Still this stuff is heavy. John tells of a miner who married an Indian princess. Following this, the chief gave the miner all kinds of help.

Merced River and Interesting Rocks

Merced River Hikers

Mining Equipment

A little ways beyond this, John shows us the ruins of the Hotel Hite. Some stonewalls, still in pretty decent shape, with the window shapes and door opening still discernible. I suspect if you slept here these days instead of sleeping a feather bed, you may sleep well with a bed of rattlers.

A short ways after this, some folks decide to turn around, but I press on with the dual mission of telling others that some of us are going back and to give my legs a good time to unwind. Group by group I come across folks who have made it to Hite Cove. The last of these are Kate and Wayne returning from exploring the meadow a little ways into the Cove. Wayne shows us a hut and "carport".  The carport is really a couple of pieces of metal sheet forming an inverted V- not really sure it was used as a carport, though. Wayne tells us a couple ghost stories from a backpack trip he did a couple weeks ago. Then we move on.

Hite Cove

But Kate wants to show me one more thing as we start our return from Hite Cove. About a hundred yards from the hut, there is some old rusted cable on the other side which looks like it might have spanned the Merced River at one time. On our side is an anchor and an iron pillar which would have held the wire. I speculate it may have been  a means to move what they were mining across the river. Also maybe people crossed the river in the bucket. There is a road across the way with no bridge. But you can see where it goes up on our side. Among some bushes Kate points out a large wheel or gear. All good to see and ponder the history of this area.

South Fork of the Merced

Speaking of pondering, sometime along a trail, you get into some interesting conversations. Such as when we talk about how somebody has integrity. But this is counter-balanced by what the Shadow radio program said, who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? Only the Shadow knows! While a person can have integrity, it is only when we are tested can we know if a person's will hold up to the stress and strain of testing. This is particularly true concerning faithfulness to ones spouse. While testing may prove the metal of a person, it also shows the fallibility as well. Much better not to be tested, except by need.

But enough of ponderings. Our return trip is in reverse. I get to enjoy a chat with Robert and Roger on the way back. Nothing deep or earth shaking. Just pleasant talk among fellow hikers. And before we know it, we are back to the car. John and Cathey leave us for family. But the rest of us head back to Oakhurst to the South Gate Brewing Company for some very good food-I had a meat pizza and Sherri a Bleu Burger. Then back to Fresno and our house by 6. A full and wet day.

Trail Lesson:

 Age does not necessarily bring wisdom, but it does bring an appreciation of situation.

There can be two opposite errors when we hike: always looking at the sights in the distance and not on the ground, forgetting attractions close by; and always looking at ones feet and never at the changing scenery.

South Fork of the Merced

Unnamed Falls

Merced and Trail close to start